Switch-operating device for street-railways.



Y l EATENTED AUG.13, 1907. E. M. E J. M. VAN EATON.' SWITCH OPERATINGDEVICE EUR STEEET- EAILWAYS.

l AEPLIGATION EILED MAL-7.1907.

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No. 863.475. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

11. M. 1 J. M. VAN EATON.

SWIT OPERATING DEVICE FOR STREET RAILWAYS. APPLICATIONHLED JAN. 7. 1907.

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'UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD M. VAN EATON AND JULIA M. VAN EATON, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE FOR STREET-RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application Jfiled January 7, 1907. Serial No. 351,206.

To all whom it rmay concern:

Be it known that we, RICHARD M. VAN EATON and JULIA M. VAN EATON,citizens of the United States, residing at Pueblo, in the county ofPueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Switch-Operating Devices for Street- Railways; and we dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in switch operating devices forstreet railways.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch operating deviceadapted to be controlled by a motorman or car operator without thenecessity of his leaving or stoppingthe car. Y

A further object is to provide a device of this character by means ofwhich a switch may be operated on a curved or straight track. t

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists ofcertainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings1-Figure l is a perspective view of a partof the switch operating device carried by the car; Fig. 2 is a side viewof a portion of a car, showing the application thereto of the part shownin Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the road bed andtracks of the railway, showing the arrangement of the stationary part ofthe operating device and the manner in which said part is engaged withthe switch point; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the switchbox; and Fig. 5 is a similar view through one of the lever boxes whichare arranged between the tracks of the railway.

In Figs. l and 2 of the drawings is shown the construction andarrangement of that part of the operating device which is carried by thecar, said part comprising an inverted U-shaped bracket l having on itslower end a forwardly-projecting, right angularly-disposed bar or platel. The bracket l is adapted to be engaged with a portion of the carframe 29 and is secured to the latter by means of a set screw 28 and bya bolt 2l adapted to be engaged with a downwardly-projecting aperturedlug 20 formed on the underside of the plate la and with a similar lugformed on and projecting below the frame 29, as shown.

On the outer side of the bracket l adjacent to its upper end is aforwardly-projecting, upwardly-inclined arm 22. In the bifurcated outerend of the arm 22 is journaled a pulley 2. On the upper side of theplate l2L near the outer end thereof is formed a pair ofupwardly-projecting, bearing lugs, in which is journaled a pulley 3.Around the pulleys 2 and 3 is adapted to travel an endless operatingcord or cable 1S.

On the outer side of the bracket l below the arm 22 is formed a pair offorwardly-projecting apertured ears or lugs 6, in which ispivotally-mounted a forwardlyprojecting operating arm 7 having anenlarged outer end, in which is formeda longitudinally-disposed Slot orrecess 7 a.

On the forward end ofthe enlarged portion ofthe arm 7 is formed a crossbar 7b, said bar projecting laterally on each side of the arm 7, asshown.

On the ends of the laterally-projecting portions of the cross bar 71 arearranged upwardly-projecting, bearing plates, between the upper ends ofwhich are journaled rollers 8.

Arranged between the rollers 8 and the upper side of the cross bar 7b isan equalizing hanger bar l5, upon which the bearing rollers 8 areadapted to travel to slidingly support the outer end of the arm 7 andthe cross bar I7. The opposite ends of the hanger bar are turnedupwardly and inwardly, and to said inwardly-turned ends are connectedthe opposite ends of a cord or cable 16. The cord or cable 1G isconnected midway between its ends to an operating cable 23, said cable23 passing upwardly around guide pulleys 24 and 25 journaled in suitablebearings on the under side of the car platform, as shown.

To the forwardly projecting end of the cable 23 is connected the lowerend of a push rod 26, which is slidably-mounted in the platform of thecar and projects upwardly above the same, and is provided with a head,whereby the saine may be readily engaged and operated by the foot of themotorman.

The cable 17 is arranged to work through the aperture 7a in the outerend of the arms 7 and in said apertured or slotted end of the arm isarranged a transverselydisposed pin 4, by means of which said end of thearm 7 is connected to the inner stretch of the cable, as'shown in Fig. lof the drawings.

Slidably-mounted in the outer end of the slot 75t is the standard 9 of atripping device, by means of which the portion of the switch operatingmechanism on the railway is actuated. On the lower end oi the standard 9is arranged a shoe I4, which is preferably diamondshaped or pointed ateach end. On the upper end of the standard 9 are formedrearwardly-projecting apertured lugs, in which is arranged a pin 5, bymeans of which the standard 9 is connected to the outer stretch ofthecable 17 and by which said standard 9 of the trip device are actuatedthrough the movement of the arm 7, as will be hereinafter described. Thelower end of the standard 9 projects through a slot or aperture 13formed in the forward end of the plate l, as clearly shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings. In the bar 9 adjacent to its lower end is formed avertical, transversely-disposed slot l0, in which is arranged atransversely-disposed guide rod ll the ends of which are secured in theplate 1a at the opposite ends of the slot 13. On the guide rod 11adjacent to each side of the standard 9 are arranged washers 19, betweenwhich and the end walls 0i the slot 13 are arranged coiled springs 12.r1`he tension of the springs 12 are exerted to yieldingly hold thestandard 9 o the trip device in a central position.

The portion of the switch operating mechanism arranged on the road bedand between the tracks oi the railway, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5,consists of a pair oi substantially triangular trip tongues 27 and 27Lmounted on the squared upper ends of vertically-disposed shafts 41,which are journalcd in the upper and lower sides of suitable casings orboxes 45 secured to the cross ties or road bed of a railway.

To the shafts 41 within the boxes 45 are secured operating levers 30 and30, Adjustably-connected to the free end of the operating level' 30 bymeans of an eye-bolt 31 is an operatingT cord or cable 32, the forwardend of which passes around a guide pulley 32VL journaled in the switchbox 51 arranged between the tracks of the railway opposite to the switchpoint thereoi. To said forward end o the cable 32 is connected anoperating rod 34, which extends through one end of the box 51 andprojects beneath the switch point 43. The projecting end ol the rod 34has secured thereto a switch engaging plate 42, by means oi which theswitch point is opened or drawn away from the rail to permit of thepassage oi a car onto a curved or side track.

To the free end oi the operating lever 301L is connected one end of anoperating cable 33, said end of the cable being adjustably-connected tothe lever 30*L by means of an eye-bolt 3l. The opposite end of the cable33 is adapted to pass around a guide pulley 33", which is also mountedin the switch box 5l.. The end of the operating cable 33, after passingaround the pulley 33", is connected to the inner` end oi a switchoperating rod 35, the outer end oi which projects through the end of aswitch box and is adapted to be engaged with the inner side of theswitch point, whereby when the cable 33 is operated, the switch pointwill be closed into engagement with the rail to permit a car to passalong the straight track. The cable 32 is covered by and adapted to workthrough a protecting tube 39, while the cable 32 works through aprotecting tube 40. rlhe switch operating rods 34 and 35 are adapted towork through stufling boxes 52 arranged in the end of the switch box.These stuffing boxes 52 prevent the entrance oi dirt or oreign matterwithin the boxes which might interfere with the operation of the partstherein. The operating rods 34 and 35 are adapted to be held in theiradjusted positions by means of a spring 38 secured to the bottom ol thebox 51 between the rods, as shown. The arms or blades of the spring 38are adapted to be engaged with suitable recesses 36 and 37 formed in theadjacent sides of the rods 34 and 35, whereby the rods will be morefirmly held in the positions they assume when the switch point is in anopen or closed position.

The lever boxes 45, in w'hich the trip tongues 27 and 27L and theoperating levers 30 and 30u are mounted, are arranged at a sufficientdistance apart to enable the operator or motorman of an approaching carto project the trip device carried thereby into engagement with eitherof the tongues 27 or 27xL and to retract the same without danger ofengaging the other tongue. It will also be understood that the movementof one of the tongues 27 or 27 a will move the other in an oppositedirection and in a position to be engaged by the next car to move theswitch point in an opposite direction. The

lever boxes 45 are provided with removable cover plates 44, throughwhich the upper reduced cylindrical ends 47 of the operating shafts 41project. Said reduced ends 47 are journaled in stul'ling boxes 4S bymeans oi which water or other foreign matter is prevented from enteringthe boxes. The lower ends of the shafts 41 are reduced and journaled inthe bottom ol the boxes, as shown at 46. The switch box 5]. is alsoprovided with a removable cover plate 50.

1n operation, as a car approaches one oi the trip tongues 27 or 27"- andit is desired to operate the switch, the motorman presses down upon thepush rod 26, thus drawing upon the cable 23 and lifting the forward endof the arm 7, which being attached to the inner stretch of the cable 71by means of the pin 4 will draw said inner stretch of the cableupwardly, thereby pulling the outer stretch or' the cable downwardly.The standard 9 of the trip devices being connected by the pin. 5 to saidouter stretch of the cable, will also be projected downwardly, therebybringing the shoe 14 on the lower end of the same into position toengage one or the other of the switch tongues as hereinbeore described.The shoe 14 upon being brought into engagement with the trip tongueswill turn the same and the operating levers connected thereto to open orclose the switch point, as will be understood.

By providing a loose connection for the standard 9 of the trip device,said device may be readily operated upon a curve in the track, as whenthe car is passing around the curve, the equalizing bar 15 will slidelaterally under the supporting pulley or cross bar of the arm 7, thusallowing the parts of the device carried by the truck of the car tofollow the curve in the track as the truck passes around the same whilethe cable 23 and the parts attached thereto will move with the car body,as will be understood, thus preventing any binding or' the parts andpermitting the operation of the trip device irrespective of the relativeposition between the car body and the truck. The yielding connectionbetween the lower end of the standard 9 and the plate 1u on the bracket1 prevents the breakage of any of the parts in case either of the triptongues 27 or 27L should be held against turning from any cause orshould the shoe 14 be engaged with any immovable obstruction.

1t will be understood that while the tripping device and shoe 14 areprojected downwardly to an operative position through the li'lting or'the operating arm by means of the push rod 26 and the flexibleconnections 16 and 23 that said tripping device and shoe are retractedor raised to an inoperative position by the weight of the arm 7 and theparts attached thereto, which drop by gravity when the push rod 26 isreleased.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any or' the advantages of this invention, as defined by theappended claims.

Having thus described our invention, whatwe claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A switch'operating device comprising a stationary portion arranged inthe road bed of a railway and a trip device adapted to be carried by acar, said stationary portion comprising lever boxes or casings, triptongues pivotally-inounted on said boxes, operating levers arranged insaid boxes and actuated by said trip tongues, a switch box, switchoperating rods slidably-mounted in said box and projecting therefrom inposition to engage the switch point, exible connections arrangedbetweensaid rods and said levers, and means to adjustably attach theends of said connections with the ends of the operating levers,substantially asdescribed.

2. A switch operating device comprising a stationary portion arranged inthe road bed of a railway and a trip device adapted to be carried by acar, said stationary portion comprising lever boxes or casings, averticallydisposed shaft journaled in said boxes and projectingthrough'stuiiing boxes in the upper sides thereof, trip tongues mountedon the projecting upper ends of said shafts, operating levers journaledon the latter to operate within said boxes, Aa switch box, switchoperating rods slidably-inounted in said box and projecting throughstutling boxes in one end of the same, means on the end of one of saidrods to engage the outer side of the switch point, a spring toyieldingly hold said rods in their adjusted positions, tubes arrangedbetween said switch box and lever boxes, operating cables connected atone end to said operating rods in the switch box, and eyeA bolts on theopposite ends of said cables whereby said ends are adjustably-connectedto said operating levers in the lever boxes, substantially as described.

3. A switch operating device comprising a stationary portion arranged inthe road bed of a railway and a trip device adapted to be carried by acar, said trip device comprising a supporting bracket adapted to besecured to the car truck, an operating rod pivotally mounted on saidbracket, an endless cable connected to and operated by said arm, atripping device connected to said cable and operated thereby, anoperating mechanism arranged on the under side of the car body, andmeans whereby said mechanism is slidably connected to said operatingarm, substantially as described.

4. A switch operating device comprising a` stationary portion arrangedin the road bed of a railway and a trip deviceadapted tobe carried by acar, said trip device comprising a supporting bracket adapted to besecured to the car truck, a right angular, forwardly-projecting plateformed on said bracket, said plate having formed therein atransversely-disposed slot, an operating arm pivotallymounted on theouter side of said bracket, pivotallymounted guide pulleys, an endlesscable arranged on said pulleys, means whereby the inner stretch of saidcable is connected to said arm, a tripping device comprising a standardconnected to the outer stretch of the cable, a shoe arranged on" thelower end of said standard to engage trip tongues on the stationaryportion of said switch operating device, an equalizing bar, meanswhereby the latter is slidably-connected with said operating arm, and aflexible operating device connecting said equalizing bar to the body ofa car, substantially as described.

5. A switch operating device comprising a stationary portion arranged inthe road bed of a railway, a trip device adapted to be carried by a car,said trip device comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be securedto the car truck, an operating arm pivotally-mounted on said bracket,pivotally-mounted guide pulleys, an endless cable arranged on saidpulleys, means whereby the inner stretch of said cable is connected tosaid operating arm, a tripping device comprising a standard connected tothe outer stretch of said endless cable, a shoe arranged on the lowerend of said standard and adapted to be engaged with trip tongues on saidstationary portion of the operating device, means to yieldingly holdsaid tripping device in position, an equalizing bar, means whereby saidbar is slidably connected to the outer end of said operating arm, a pushrod arranged in the door of the car, and a iiexible connection betweensaid push rod and said equalizing bar, substantially as described.

G. A switch operating device comprising a stationary portion arranged inthe road bed of a railway, a trip device adapted to be carried by a car,said trip device comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be securedto the car truck, a forwardly-projecting slotted plate on said bracket,a pulley journaled on said plate, a forwardlyprojecting arm arranged onsaid bracket, a pulley joui'- naled in the outer end of said arm, anendless cable arranged on said pulleys, an operating armpivotallymounted on the bracket, said arm having a slotted outer end,means to connect said arm with the inner stretch ot said endless cable,a tripping device comprising a slotted standard slidably-mounted in theaperture of said bracket plate and connected to the outer stretch ofsaid endless cable, a tripping shoe on the lower end of said standard,springs to hold the latter in position in the aperture in said plate, across bar on the outer end of said arm, pulleys arranged on the outerends of said cross bar, an equalizing bar adapted to slidably-engagesaid pulleys, a push rod arranged in the platform of the car, and aIlexible connection between said push rod and said equalizing bar,substantially as described.

7. A switch operating device comprising a stationary portion arrangedinthe road bed of a railway and a trip device adapted to be carried by acar, said trip device comprising a supporting bracket adapted to besecured to the car truck, a forwardly-projecting, rightangularlydisposed plate on the lower end of said bracket, said platehaving formed near its outer end a transverselydisposed slot, a trippingdevice slidably-mounted in said slot. said device comprising a standardhaving formed therein a vertically-disposed slot, a guide rod arrangedin said slot and secured at its opposite ends in said plate, washers onsaid rod adjacent to the opposite sides of the standard, coiled springsarranged between said washers and the end walls of the slot in saidplate, a shoe arranged on thelower end of said standard, an operatingarm pivotally-mounted on said bracket, a flexible connection betweensaid arm and said standard, an equalizing bar having a slidableconnection with the outer end of said operating arm, a push rod in theplatform of said car, a tlexible connection between said push rod andequalizing bar, whereby said operating rod is raised or lowered toactuate said tripping device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

RICHARD M. VAN EATON. JULIA M. VAN EATON. Witnesses:

Gnonon ARTHUR MoCoY, CLnvIA SMITH.

